Criticisms of Good Eats...

[saultime]

As you may already know, you have a rabidly loyal group of fans. In fact, I would say that you might have the most loyal following of any “celebrity chef” (if you don’t mind being called that) out there. You, Batali, and Bourdain seem to be about the only TV chefs who are able to entertain, yet maintain credibility among foodies.

Anyway, from poking around this board and others, I’ve found that there are a few people who just don’t “get” Good Eats.

Some of them don’t know what to do with your brand of humor.

A few people I’ve talked to have only seen the episodes where you’re advocating some what of an esoteric method for performing a culinary task—the ironing board for rolling pasta, the electric knife for the cake—and they immediately think Good Eats is all about gimmicks, or that you’ve ran out of basics things to cover, so you have to rely more on gadgets.

Or, someone with expertise in an area will take issue with a detail they consider “wrong.” (There’s a HUGE thread on this board about the GE buttercream frosting.)

Alas, I tell them (and this is a judgment call on my part) that they’re missing the point, that what you’re really trying to do is get your audience think outside of the box every once in a while, and that Good Eats is more about understanding than wrote knowledge.

This sort of thing is about the only consistent criticism of Good Eats I’ve found. What do you have to say to this sort of criticism?

As Good Eats continues to cover the basics, will the show become more advanced, or are there plenty more basics to cover?

Thanks,

Josh

[Alton Brown]

I don't care about criticism. I make Good Eats for myself and anyone who likes it enough to watch. If people get it, that's truly the best thing on Earth...if they don't that's okay. I really don't listen to criticism, positive or negative. The way I see it, believing either one can be dangerous. Does that make any sense?

And you know what, it really is easier to roll pasta on an ironing board. And you know what else, I know a few people that decided to make their own pasta for the first time because of that "gimmic". So...I win.